New Start
by thraxbaby
Summary: After the curse broke, Regina had everything taken from her. So she leaves. Now known as Roni, she lives happily in Seattle until someone from her past comes looking for her. Swanqueen. Kinda angsty at times.
1. Chapter 1: Roni

Roni wiped down the bartop with a final flourish. Business hours were over and she had herself and a cat to feed. She flipped the window sign to "closed", locked the doors, and turned out the lights. She climbed the back steps up to her apartment above the bar. Her cat, Lenny, uncurled from his spot on the back of the couch and meowed at her.

"Yes, I know. Took me long enough, huh?" Roni scratched the cat behind his ears, causing him to purr. "How about some breakfast?" Roni walked into the kitchen and poured some cat food into Lenny's dish. While her cat ate, Roni heated up some leftovers for herself. She planned on spending the next hour watching a new show on Netflix before going to bed. The timer on the microwave slowly ticked down, giving Roni some time to think. She looked around at her tiny one bedroom apartment. It had been four years since she came to Seattle. That was back when she was another person...

The microwave dinged, bringing Roni out of dangerous memories. She took her food and a fork and settled in the living room. Her furry companion returned to his spot on the couch, just behind his owner's head. She could feel him snuggle into her warmth. She smiled. Lenny had been a tiny thing when she found him. They were both lost in an unfamiliar place and took to each other like white on rice. He had been her only friend since. She really preferred his company over anyone else's. Cats didn't care who you used to be, so long as you kept them fed and treated them right.

Some time later, a knock on the door woke her up from her nap. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and stretched. A glance at the clock showed that she could have slept another four hours if she hadn't gotten interrupted. Another knock had Roni up and walking to the door. She looked through the peephole and gasped. The person on the other side of the door was someone Roni never thought she'd see again. It was someone from her old life, who forced her all the way across the country.

Roni backed away silently. She had to run. She pocketed her keys and wallet, threw some clothes in a bag, and escaped out the window and down the fire escape, Lenny on her heels. She just needed to reach her car down the block and she could start again. She could go to New Mexico. She'd always wanted to visit there... She ran down the street. She could almost make out her old clunker, when a body slammed her to the ground.

"Get off me!" Roni cried, pushing the woman off her. She held Lenny, who was hissing at her attacker and was one wrong move away from scratching.

"I wouldn't have had to do it if you'd just opened the door." Emma Swan looked exactly the same. Well, except for a tiredness in her eyes. Said eyes were now oggling Regi- _Roni's_ attire. She wore jeans and a leather jacket, something Regina wouldn't have been caught dead in. Her hair was in its natural curly state and she wore minimal makeup. This woman was so different from Madame Mayor.

Roni scratched Lenny's head, both for his comfort and hers.

"You weren't supposed to find me." Roni said.

"Did you forget it was my job to find people who didn't want to be found?" Emma replied. Roni looked away with a pout. She kind of did forget. She hadn't thought of Emma in years. Well, except when she featured in her nightmares.

"If you insist on invading my life, I'd prefer we not do this in public." Roni walked Emma to her bar and unlocked the front door. When both women and the cat were inside, Roni locked the doors again, dropped Lenny off back inside the apartment, and went behind the bar to pour herself a shot. She knew she'd need the buzz to be able to deal with whatever Emma wanted.

"Why are you here?" Roni finally asked. "If... _he's_ in trouble," She still couldn't say her former son's name without feeling torn apart. "Just know I haven't used magic in four years and my blood type is incompatible with his."

"Henry's not sick. I came to bring you home." Emma said.

"Home?" Roni scoffed. "I _am_ home. I worked hard for my bar, for my life here. Here, there's no magical destiny making me into something I never wanted to be. Here, no one runs screaming every time they see me. I'm just Roni here, not the Evil Queen."

"Henry misses you." At Emma's words, Roni gripped the bar. She tried hard to push the memories back, but when it came to Henry, they overwhelmed her like a tidal wave. She remembered watching the Charmings moving Henry's things out of his room. She remembered the paperwork forced on her, giving up her right to ever see him again. She remembered the pills she almost took afterward.

"He sure didn't seem to miss me when he chose you over me. Even if he did, you made me give up my rights to see him. I legally cannot go anywhere near him, so try again Miss Swan." Roni snarled.

"Regina-"

"I'm not Regina!" Roni snapped. "My name is Roni. I live in Hyperion Hights. And I am never going back to that old life. So you can go back to your perfect life with your son and leave me alone." Roni unlocked the door and looked at Emma expectantly. Emma sighed and walked out the door. She stopped in the doorway and looked at Roni once more.

"I'm not giving up on you." Emma said before leaving for real. Roni locked up again and went to pour herself another shot. She was doing just fine for herself. Why did Miss Swan have to go and ruin it?

Roni returned to her apartment to get a few extra hours of sleep, but she was plagued with another nightmare. She was back in her old home - the mansion on Mifflin. She watched out the window as an angry mob formed around her house. Rocks pelted the mansion, smoke and flames erupted from the side of the house, and the mob broke in and pulled her from her home. They led her to the main square, where a hangman's platform had been built. She was tied up and stood over the trap door. A thick, scratchy rope was put around her neck.

It was then that Emma stood before her. "I told you I wouldn't give up." She said, "You're getting exactly what you deserve." Regina turned to see Henry at the lever that released the trap door.

"Down with the Evil Queen!" He chanted before releasing the floor from under her.

Roni screamed as she awoke. Lenny jumped in fright and ran to comfort his owner, who was now sobbing. Roni knew she couldn't open her bar tonight. She was too much of a mess and she couldn't drink it away like she normally did. Today she knew she would need to see her therapist, but she needed to hurry if she wanted to get some time in with her. Roni dressed and went out towards her doctor's office.


	2. Chapter 2: Rewind

Roni sat in another bar across town, nursing a glass of scotch. She was currently fighting an internal battle with herself. Surely Emma coming to find her had to be no good, right? There was nothing tying her to Storybrooke. Nothing there that could convince her to return. The day she left, she was virtually dead to the citizens of Storybrooke.

 _Regina had watched Henry interact with his real family from across the street. He was the happiest she'd seen him in years. She had nothing but an empty house. Her son was with his real family. That night, she sat with a bottle of alcohol and a handful of sleeping pills. She couldn't stop the pain tearing through her chest, couldn't stop the tears from falling. What would anyone care if she ended it all? Everyone she had ever loved was dead, why not join them? But something was keeping her from doing it._

 _Regina tossed the pills down the toilet, along with the contents of the bottle and instead made a phone call. Katherine helped her settle some things and before midnight, the mansion belonged to the Charmings. Regina packed only her most practical clothing, whatever money was in her purse, and left town. She changed her name, symbolically releasing herself from the destiny her mother planned for her, and moved to Seattle. For the longest time, she had next to nothing until a bar owner took pity on her. He taught her how to mix drinks and hired her. Two years later, he sold the bar to her. She renamed it and had kept it ever since._

Movement to her right brought Roni out of her memories. From her peripheral vision, she saw that familiar blonde hair and knew who it was.

"So..." Emma started, trying to make conversation. "Roni, huh?"

"I told you, Swan. I'm not going back, so you can just give up now." Roni said without looking at the blonde.

"You just look like you can use a drinking buddy." Emma explained. She ordered a glass of whatever Roni had. "So why the name change?" Roni sighed.

"Regina was my mother's idea. It means 'queen' and that's exactly what she wanted for me. I had no choice in the matter. I never had any choices when it came to my life. First mother controlled me, then Snow's father, then Gold. Moving here was the first real choice I was able to make on my own."

"What about adopting Henry?" Emma asked.

"Henry needed to be there in order to find you. It was all part of Rumpel's plan. He manipulated everything in order for his curse to be broken by you." Roni answered.

"Speaking of Rumpel, want to hear everything you missed?" Emma asked.

"Not particularly." Roni replied.

"Oh." Emma took a sip of her drink. "So, how'd you end up with a bar?"

"I worked there for quite a while before the owner retired. He was going to sell it, but I saw how it brought people together. I couldn't let it die, so I bought it from him. I renamed it and kept it running."

"No kids?" Emma asked. A pained expression crossed Roni's face.

"No. I couldn't- I couldn't do that to a kid again. Seeing them unhappy with me... knowing who I was... I can't do it again." Roni finished off her drink and asked for another.

"What about you? Any more kids?" Roni asked.

"No, Henry is enough for me. After Neal, I don't think I'd want another kid for a very long time." Roni looked at Emma with a confused look. "Oh, right. Uh... Snow and David had another kid... that they named after my dead ex-boyfriend."

"Wait... is that Henry's father?" Roni asked.

"Yeah. Um... funny story about that. See, Gold cashed in that favor I owed him and we went looking for his son. We found him in New York and he turned out to be the guy who left me pregnant and in jail." Roni's eyes widened in shock.

"Rumpel's son is Henry's father? But you said he was dead. How'd that happen?"

"Well, he had a fiancee who ended up not being what she seemed. She and some guy almost kidnapped Henry. Neal went after them and saved Henry, but... she shot him. As you can imagine, Gold was pissed. All that planning and the curse just to find his son, and he dies after being reunited for only two weeks. I had them arrested, but they disappeared overnight. God knows what Gold did to them." Emma shook her head. Even years layer, it stressed her out thinking of Neal's death. She'd still been pissed at his actions ten years previous, but then he was gone. It felt wrong being angry at the dead, but at the same time... She was still torn.

"How did Henry take it?" Roni questioned.

"He was pretty upset. He'd just gotten to know his father and then he was gone. I think... He might have been hoping we would get back together. I think Mom did, too. Whenever he was around, they kept pushing for us to be alone together. But I couldn't forgive him. Not yet." Emma frowned.

"Has there been anyone? A father figure for Henry?" Roni asked.

"There was... for a bit. Killian." Emma answered. Roni frowned, the name was familiar... Then it hit her and her face contorted like she'd just licked the underside of a boot.

"Captain Hook? You dated Captain Hook?" Emma gave a weak, guilty grin.

"He wanted to change, to redeem himself. And he did. In fact, we were engaged..."

"Unbelievable. Your parents trusted a filthy pirate, while they took everything away from me." Roni rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, well..." Emma sighed. "Everything was fine until he proposed. Then suddenly our wedding was all anyone talked about: the cake, the dress, what our kids would look like. God, he wanted kids! I was happy with just Henry, but everyone expected us to have more kids, as if it was a requirement. I couldn't take it anymore and called off the wedding. Mom was so angry at me, as if I cancelled _her_ wedding. Nobody understood why I 'gave up on my happy ending'. It just... it didn't sound like _my_ happy ending." Emma sighed. She hadn't told anyone why she broke up with Hook. She didn't know why she told all this to Roni.

"I get it. During my marriage with Snow's father, I was expected to provide an heir. But I was still in mourning for Daniel. I didn't want to be married to that man, much less have his baby." Roni sipped more of her drink. They sat in silence for a while before Emma spoke again.

"You know, I kinda like this - us talking. Do you think... if none of that crazy fairytale shit happened, we could have been friends?" Emma asked. Roni sipped her drink and thought over Emma's words.

"Perhaps."


	3. Chapter 3: Fire & Ash

Emma, having drank significantly less than Roni, drove her home. They were nearing the street the woman lived on when Roni realized the dark clouds in the sky weren't storm clouds. It was smoke. Her fears were heightened when she realized they were coming from her street. They turned the corner and Roni practically flew out the moving car. Her bar and the buildings on either side of it were on fire! Roni screamed and ran towards the burning building, only to be held back by a firefighter.

"Let me go! That's my home! My cat's inside!" Roni looked up and saw Lenny swiping at the window. Roni's heart sped up and tears welled up in her eyes. The life she made for herself was going up in flames. Meanwhile, a firefighter climbed a ladder and opened the top window. Lenny gratefully leaped into his arms and was carried down to his owner. Roni held him close.

"Oh, thank God you're okay." Roni cried. Lenny purred, rubbing against Roni's chest. Roni looked back at the burning building. Where would she live now? Oh, no... what if she had to go back _there_? Back to the place that nearly killed her. But what choice did she have?

"Hey, Roni. You okay?" A firefighter asked. She recognized him as a patron who came in occasionally. "You got a place to stay?"

"I'll be fine." Roni answered.

"Alright. If you have insurance on this place, I'd call them now." The firefighter said. Roni nodded and pulled her phone from her pocket.

Calling the insurance company was a long and painful process that didn't end until the fire was out and the crowd mostly dispersed. They would send her the money, but it was hardly enough to rebuild. Her precious bar was gone, burnt right to the ground. She was left with nothing once again.

"Hey, you okay?" Emma asked, finally approaching her. "Need me to take you somewhere?"

"I suppose I can escape fate for only so long." Roni said despondently. "I'll come with you to Storybrooke."

"Roni-"

"It's Regina. I can't hide who I am." Roni looked hopeless, like she was next in line for a guillotine.

"Look, if you want to be Roni, then be Roni. If you don't want to go back to Storybrooke, then you don't have to. You are not merely what others see you as. You take fate into your own hands and live your own life. When I first got to Storybrooke, I told Ashley the same thing. Everyone saw her as a screw up, someone who couldn't do anything, much less be a mother. I told her to push back, to do what she wanted and now, she's a wonderful mother to a precious little girl.

"What I'm saying is, you are still in control of your life. Just say the word and I'll take you wherever you need to go."

"Even to New Mexico?" Roni asked, not quite believing the blonde.

"Even to New Mexico." Emma confirmed.

"Why?" Roni frowned, looking up at Emma.

"Because that's what friends do." Emma replied. Roni looked at her in wonder. They were friends?

"I don't quite have enough money to stay in a motel before the insurance money comes in. Is there a chance I can room with you until then?" It was a huge leap for Roni to ask for help like this. She usually would have insisted she was fine and could handle it until Emma dragged her kicking and screaming to Storybrooke. But Roni wanted to show Emma that she appreciated her friendship. Plus, she had time to change as a person. Perhaps she should return to her home of 28 years.

"Sure. And if anyone still has a grudge, they'll have to go through me first. You've changed and you deserve to live your life." Emma said. "Come on. It's getting dark and I doubt you want to be out here much longer." Roni nodded and got back into the car.

* * *

The next day, they arrived in Storybrooke after having a nearly eight hour flight. That's not even including the wait time in the airport. Roni had been napping in the front seat when they crossed the town line. All of a sudden, Roni jerked awake, gasping, as if she'd just been doused with icy water. A glance over to her and Emma could see her eyes swirling with purple, that same color that was sparking from her fingertips. Roni had gone four years without using magic and now she could feel it coursing through her.

"You okay?" Emma asked. She herself could feel the tingling of magic just beneath her skin.

"I... I haven't felt my magic in a long time. It's just a shock, is all. It's going to feel weird, having it again." Roni looked down at her hands and willed the roiling sea of emotion to calm. It was going to suck having to tamp down her emotions again.

"Okay. Just tell me if you need anything." Emma said.

"How about some breakfast? I'm starving." Roni answered.

"Pit stop at Granny's? I can get it to go." Emma questioned.

"Sounds good." They drove over to Granny's. Roni stayed in the car to get more sleep while Emma went in and ordered their food.

"Sheriff Swan." Granny greeted. "The usual?"

"Yeah, but throw in another coffee and an egg sandwich." Emma said.

"Buying breakfast for two?" Granny inquired.

"Not that it's anyone's business. Can I just get my order?" Emma said. No one could know she brought the former Evil Queen back to Storybrooke. Not yet. Emma looked back at her car and thanked whatever force was listening that Roni was curled up asleep. All you could see was the back of her head and leather jacket.

"Coming right up." Granny went to the back to cook up Emma's order.


	4. Chapter 4: Homecoming

Seeing the mansion again sent a plethora of emotions, both good and bad, through Roni. There, she had memories of being isolated and alone, but also Henry's first steps; memories of being attacked the day the curse broke, and seeing Henry off on the first day of school. Now that she thought about it, how would he react to her being back? She wasn't quite the same person as when she left, but would it matter to him? Would it matter to anyone? Or would she forever be seen as the Evil Queen?

"Ready to go in?" Emma asked, having seen the dilemma in Roni's expression.

"Not really." Roni unbuckled her seatbelt anyway and exited the car. She pulled out Lenny's carrier from the back seat and turned back towards the mansion.

It still looked the same, except the hedges that used to give her yard privacy were gone. In their place were brightly colored flowers in various shades of pink. A baby's swing hung from a branch on one of the trees out front and toys littered the yard.

"Sorry it's messy. Neal leaves a toy explosion everywhere he goes." Emma explained before leading the way to the front door. The inside felt different. It smelled different. More toys sat in the corners and under tables, like they were swept to the side as someone walked.

"My room is up in the attic." Emma said. "You can put your cat there for now. Feel free to borrow whatever you need." Roni nodded and climbed the stairs up to the attic.

The attic wasn't like most attics in regular homes. It was practically a one bedroom apartment, complete with a kitchen, living room, and bathroom. It was basically like the apartment Roni had back in Seattle. She could see why Emma made it hers, rather than claim one of the guest rooms. It offered her more privacy and the illusion of independence. Roni set Lenny's carrier in the living room and opened the door.

"Welcome to your new home, boy. We're going to be staying here a while." Roni said as Lenny sniffed around, aquainting himself with the new area. Emma came up and dropped off the supplies they bought after arriving on the east coast: just the essentials of a litter box, kitty litter, and cat food.

"Thanks." Roni said.

"No problem. Hey, I'm going to go pick Neal up from day care. Your food is on the table and I'll be back soon, okay?" Roni nodded and continued setting up Lenny's things. The litter box was filled and put in the bathroom and the food was put away in a cupboard. Lenny had claimed the back of the couch, just like he had back home, and curled up to sleep. Roni sniffed and realized both she and Lenny smelled like smoke.

"Ugh. We need a good wash." Roni filled up the sink with warm water and did her best to wash the ash from Lenny's fur. When he was washed, dried, and annoyed, Regina stripped and stepped into the shower. The smell of smoke was quickly washed away and replaced with peaches and honey.

Freshly washed, Regina grabbed a towel and wrapped herself up. She then realized she had no clothes to wear. Poking a head out of the bathroom, she checked to see if anyone was there. Seeing no one, Roni padded to the bedroom and borrowed an outfit from Emma's dresser. She then went downstairs to eat her meal.

* * *

"Cookies!" The high-pitched voice squealed as tiny feet pattered across the hardwood floor.

"I promised _one_ cookie!" Emma's voice called out. "And you can't tell mom!" A little boy with adorable blue eyes and curly blonde hair skidded to a stop upon seeing the strange woman sitting at their table.

"Emma, who dat lady?" Neal pointed to the woman. Emma walked into the dining room and saw Roni, hair damp and wearing a tank top and yoga pants that Emma recognized as her own. Hot damn.

"That is my friend, Roni. She's going to stay with us for a bit." Emma explained. Neal cocked his head and stared up at Roni. She smiled at him.

"Hello, Neal. My, what a handsome boy you are." Neal smiled bashfully.

"Here you go, Cassanova." Emma returned from the kitchen with his promised cookie. Neal jumped up and down in excitement and grabbed the cookie. He looked at Roni, who didn't have a cookie, then down to his cookie. He broke off a little piece, only about the size of two of his fingers, and offered it to Roni.

"Thank you!" Roni smiled and accepted the piece of cookie.

"Wow, he must really like you. He never shares with me." Emma commented.

"Neal, does Emma get a cookie, too?" Roni asked.

"No." Neal took as big a bite of his cookie as he could and Roni fought to hide her laugh.

"See?" Emma exclaimed.

"Well, at least one Charming likes me." Roni commented.

"Two." Emma corrected. "Seriously, what am I? Chopped liver?" Emma watched Roni wipe the smeared chocolate from Neal's mouth. He didn't squirm away from her like he did to everyone else. Psh. He was just showing off for a pretty girl. He was never so angelic with Emma.

Neal toddled off to play with some trucks in the middle of the foyer. Roni watched him play happily and was reminded of a simpler time. When a little brunet boy would play with his blocks, making towers and knocking them over, laughing his adorable belly laugh when she'd looked surprised that it fell over _again_. She's only known him for three minutes, but Roni already loved him. This was going to hurt when she inevitably had to leave again.

"Kitty!" Neal's attention was on Lenny, who more than likely heard all the new sounds and came to investigate.

"His name is Lenny." Roni informed the toddler.

"Inny." Neal repeated, or at least tried to. He toddled towards the animal. "Inny Inny Inny." He not-too-gently patted the cat, who retreated into his owner's arms. Neal giggled and ran after him.

"Kitty!" Neal made grabby hands towards the cat in Roni's lap.

"You have to be gentle, like this." Roni held Neal's hand and ran it gently over Lenny's fur. He seemed to get a hang of it because his next attempt was much easier on the creature.

"Do you want to help me feed him?" Roni asked Neal.

"Yah!" Neal jumped in excitement and ran off to the kitchen.

"No, dear. We have to give him cat food, not people food. Come with me." Roni led the little boy upstairs to feed Lenny. Emma stayed downstairs, happy that someone could keep her brother occupied. Most days when she watched him, he was a screaming pain in the neck. She didn't know how Roni did it. Did Neal just not like her? Emma tried to be a good sister, but truth be told, she had no idea how to do that. What was she doing wrong?

"Ugh. This why I don't want kids." Emma sighed. She got up to get herself a cookie because God dammit, she deserved it.

* * *

Emma lost track of time and realized it was past Neal's nap time. She went upstairs looking for the two and surprisingly found them on Emma's bed, both fast asleep. Emma shrugged and went back downstairs to catch up on her shows.

...

"Por que, Alejandro, por que?" The woman on the screen cried.

"Yeah, Alejandro! Why'd you gotta be suck a dick? Maria loves you and you cheat on her with Felicia? Hell no! Where's Jorge when you need him?" Emma heard the door unlock and quickly paused her show. This was it. Her parents were going to know who their new house guest was. And possibly disown her.

"Emma!" Snow exclaimed when she, David, and Henry walked through the door. "You're home! How was Boston?"

"Ma!" Henry ran up to hug her.

"Hey, guys." Emma greeted. "Um... there's something I have to tell you." Just channel your inner Shia and just do it! "I didn't go to Boston. I... have a friend who will be staying with us. Her name is Roni."

"Roni? And where is your brother?" Right on cue, Neal slid down the stairs on his butt until he could run into his mother's arms.

"Mommy, kitty!" Neal said, pointing upstairs.

"Oh, and she has a cat." Emma added.

"Well, we'd love to meet her." David replied.

"Youalreadyhave." Emma muttered.

"Emma? I'm sorry Neal got away from me. I was busy cleaning Lenny's litter... box..." Roni paused in her tracks upon seeing Snow, David, and Henry.

"Regina?" Snow said, clearly in shock.

"It's Roni now." Roni clarified.

"Surprise!" Emma added weakly.


	5. Chapter 5: One More Chance

"Emma, honey, why did you bring _the Evil Queen_ back to Storybrooke?" Snow asked her daughter, as if she were a child who brought frogs into the house. Roni rolled her eyes.

"She's not the Evil Queen anymore!" Emma defended. "The last four years, she's been a bartender in Seattle. She didn't even want to come back, but her business burned down and she needed a place to stay."

"She's been the Evil Queen longer than you've been alive. Four years isn't going to make a difference." David replied. "We have given her plenty of chances to change and she didn't."

"But back then, she still had Rumplestiltskin manipulating her. She had to be properly free from all of that to be able to change. Which she has!." Emma and Snow continued to fight. Meanwhile, Henry stood staring at the woman who cared for him the first ten years of his life. She was visibly agitated from his Grandma's words, but she looked good, like those four years away lifted the weight of the world from her shoulders. She used to always look sad, worried, or angry, but right now, there was an aloofness in her posture.

The day he found out Regina had disappeared, he had been frightened. He thought maybe someone had taken her to get revenge, but they soon learned she left everything to his family. They all figured it was Regina's way of surrendering and moved on with their lives, but Henry couldn't. When Emma first came to town, Regina had fought hard to keep him to herself. Then the curse broke and she just gave up? She left town and moved on with her life. He began to feel bad about all those times he ran from her, pushed her away. She'd given up on him and it was all his fault. She didn't even look at him since she came downstairs. She didn't love him anymore.

Henry could feel tears threaten to spill and felt he had to get out of there. He dropped his backpack and ran past Regina or Ronny or whatever her new name was and locked himself up in his room. He could hear Snow blame Emma for upsetting him. He blocked their argument by holding his pillow over his ears.

"Enough!" Roni shouted. The remaining Charmings paused and turned their heads towards the former queen. "I know when I'm not wanted. Just give me a minute to pack my things." Roni hurried upstairs to Emma's room.

"Change of plans, Len. We're leaving." Regina gathered the cat's carrier and secured him inside. She threw out the litter inside his litter box and set it next to the carrier. She took the box of litter and bagged the cat food and set both inside the litter box for easy lifting. Roni frowned when she realized that was everything. No, she forgot the single outfit she had put in Emma's hamper. She fished those out and folded them up, placing them on top of the cat supplies. That was it. All her possessions in the world.

Roni pulled out her phone and looked up nearby motels she could stay in. There was one, right off the highway just outside of town. If she managed her remaining funds well enough, she could stay there a week. Hopefully, she could find a temp job in that time. She would have to start fresh once again.

Roni took her things into her arms and took a calming breath. She could do this. She carefully made her way down the stairs and past the Charmings. She would have to walk all the way to the motel, since she left her old car back in Seattle. God, why was she so stupid?! She should have stayed in Seattle. But Emma Swan just _had_ to fill her with hope that things would be fine. She should stop listening to blondes.

"Mom!" Roni had hardly gotten past the gate when she heard the voice. It was deeper than she was used to, but there was to mistaking who it came from. Roni turned around to see Henry in the doorway. He ran towards her and without hesitation, she set everything down and let him run into her arms. Henry held on tight, sobbing into her shoulder. Roni rubbed his back soothingly, trying to calm him down. God, he was so tall! She used to have to kneel to be eye to eye, but now he was almost as tall as her!

"Don't leave me again." Henry cried, his words muffled by her shoulder. Roni felt torn. She didn't want to leave, especially if Henry wanted her to stay, but his family - his _real_ family - could easily have her arrested for literally anything.

"I have to." Roni whispered softly.

"But I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was a little brat to you. I thought you didn't love me, that you were keeping me as part of your revenge." Henry's voice broke several times, further reminding Roni that her little boy was growing up. But he wasn't quite hers, was he?

"Adopting you was never about revenge. I adopted you because I wanted a family." Roni explained. "And I was incredibly lucky to have you for ten years. But I knew you weren't happy with me. I signed those papers and left because I wanted to see you happy again."

"Even if you weren't?" Henry asked.

"Yes. Your happiness was more important." Roni could feel her own tears leaking from her eyes. All these years, she had nightmares that Henry would never forgive her. That returning to Storybrooke would be walking to her grave, but right now, there was that blasted spark of hope growing in her chest.

"Stay with us." Henry requested. "Please?" Roni was powerless to deny his plea.

* * *

Dinner that night had been awkward for everyone except Neal, who played happily with his food. Roni excused herself early and hid out in Emma's living room. She distracted herself by watching her favorite show on her phone.

"Dammit, Alejandro! This is why Leticia wrote you out of her will!" Roni exclaimed.

"You watch Pasión y Tragedia, too?" Emma asked, having just heard Roni as she walked by.

"Yes. Alejandro is a spoiled bastard who's going to get himself killed." Roni frowned.

"He's the main character. They can't kill him off or they have no show." Emma commented as she leaned against the couch to get a view of the screen.

"On the contrary. Maria is a strong enough character to carry the show without him." Roni replied. Dramatic music caught their attention, so they stopped talking and watched the dramatics unfold. Emma ended up settling on the couch beside Roni and they both watched the novela.

"¡No puedes irte porque estoy teniendo a tu bebé!"

"Oh no she didn't!" Emma exclaimed.

"You understand what they're saying?" Roni questioned.

"Nope. But I'm good at guessing. She either said she was pregnant with his baby, or she has an evil twin." Emma answered. Roni laughed.

"Was I off?" Emma asked. If she was, then she was going to be so lost on the storyline.

"No, you were right. Felicia is pregnant with Alejandro's baby." Roni answered.

"Poor Maria. She's trying so hard to forgive Alejandro, and this happens. She should just dump him and date Emilia." Emma commented.

"Emilia?"

"Yeah! They have great chemistry and have you _seen_ the way they look at each other? That's true love right there!"

"But they're just friends." Roni countered.

"Friends that should smooch!" Emma added. "They look at each other the way my parents do." Said women were talking on screen and Emma could tell Roni was watching them in a new light.

"You're right. They are so gay." Roni whispered, not wanting to miss a second. Emma merely grinned and continued watching.

"You know," Emma said once the episode was over. "I never got to tell you that I kinda like that rocker chick look you got going on." Roni smiled and blushed.

"I sometimes feel like I'm finally going through my rebellious teen phase." Roni said. "I'm just trying to find myself, let go of regret and guilt, and just... be me. No more facades, no more masks. Just me."

"Good. Because you look a lot happier being yourself." Emma said. Roni smiled at her and Emma smiled back. "Hey, it's getting late. Where do you want to sleep tonight?"

"I'll be fine here." Roni answered.

"You sure? If you feel too uncomfortable, you're free to take one of the guest rooms or my bed. I promise I won't kick." Emma said. "I'll get you some blankets."

Emma brought Roni some blankets and a pillow, along with some pajamas. Roni dressed for bed and laid across the couch with the lights out. The day had been an emotional roller coaster for her. She never had to deal with this in Seattle. But Henry wanted her here, so here she'll stay. At least, for now.

* * *

 **A.N.: 1) The novela in the story is completely fictional, though halfway through writing it, I realized I was basically writing OUAT but in Spanish.**

 **2) The Spanish was translated with an online translator, so blame any mistakes on that.**

 **3) My family used to watch a novela and, even though I know about as much Spanish as a one year old, I was able to explain to my sister what was happening. I guess I'm really good at story comprehension.**


	6. Chapter 6: New Day

"Noniiiiii! Noniiiiiiiii!" Roni heard the little voice and felt tiny fingers poke at her face. She opened one eye and saw a chubby baby face an inch away from hers. Roni smiled. Henry used to do that to her when he was younger.

"What are you doing?" Roni asked in an amused tone. Little Neal giggled. He told her something in half baby babble, half baby English that sounded something like "bekfiss" was ready. "Is that so?" Neal nodded. "Okay, I'm getting up." Roni stretched and yawned. She got up from the couch, folded up the blankets, and set them on Emma's bed. She then raided the drawers again until she found an acceptable outfit. Emma's jeans were too small for her, so she wore another pair of yoga pants with a black t-shirt. Roni lifted Neal to her hip and walked downstairs to get some breakfast.

"I believe this belongs to you." Roni said as she entered the kitchen, talking about Neal. Emma looked at her brother before focusing on breakfast.

"Nope. Never seen him before in my life." Emma replied.

"Emma!" Roni admonished.

"What?! He's 26 pounds of chaos and Mom expects _me_ to clean up his mess."

"I've been helping." Henry said. Roni hadn't even noticed him enter the kitchen. "We make it a game, like you used to do."

"You remember that?" Roni asked Henry.

"A little. I mostly remember realizing that it was cleaning and not a game." Henry said. He took Neal from Roni and placed him in his high chair. Emma set some tiny pancakes on the tray and Neal got to work inhaling them. Emma returned to the kitchen to retrieve the plate of chocolate chip pancakes.

"Everyone dig in." Emma said. Roni and Henry took a few pancakes from the stack and poured syrup all over them. Roni eyed the plastic bottle of syrup.

"The real stuff is better." Roni muttered.

"You should make your apple pancakes sometime." Henry suggested.

"You'd want that?" Roni asked, surprised.

"Yeah. Ma tried to make them, but they never really came out right."

"So, Roni, what do you have planned for today?" Emma asked. Roni shrugged.

"Nothing much. I was hoping to look for a job, but to be honest, I'm dreading the mob that is sure to come once people find out I'm back." Roni picked at her pancakes.

"Hey, why don't I go with you? After I drop off the kids, we can go out and help you job hunt. Maybe pick up some clothes for you?" Emma suggested.

"You don't have work?" Roni asked.

"I took this week off. I honestly thought it would take longer to convince you to come back." Emma explained.

"It would have, if fate didn't hate me and everything I love." Roni commented.

"Hey, you know that's not true. Henry, hurry up and get your things. We're going to be late." Roni helped with the clean up, including a very sticky two-year-old, and waved goodbye to the kids when they left.

* * *

Emma and Roni walked Main Street, going to different places that held Roni's interest. She left her resume with seven different businesses, though she was sure they all ended up in the trash. They were walking out of a clothing store when a familiar face was walking towards them . Leroy paused when he saw who it was with Emma.

"The Evil Queen is back!" He yelled. He ran down Main with the news.

"I see his liver hasn't failed yet." Roni looked at her watch. "We had... forty-seven minutes of peace. A new record. Shall we return home and wait for the mob?"

"There's not going to be a mob. Not if I have anything to say about it." Emma promised. They were walking towards the car when a woman stopped Emma for a chat.

"Sheriff Swan! Nice day out today, isn't it?" The woman said with a southern lilt to her pleasant voice. "Who's your friend?"

"Hey, Tiana. This is my friend, Roni." Emma introduced. "Roni, this is Tiana. She works at Granny's since Ruby left."

"Ruby left? Okay, now you have to tell me what I missed." Roni said.

"Actually, Sheriff, you are looking at the new owner of the little abandoned building out by the docks. With just a little hard work and elbow grease, it'll become the finest restaurant in town." Tiana replied.

"You're opening your own restaurant?" Roni asked. "If you need a bartender, I'm your woman."

"Oh, really? Do you have experience?" Tiana asked.

"I owned my own bar back in Seattle for about two years, worked in one for four." Roni answered.

"Then you're hired!" Tiana exclaimed. "If you're not afraid of a little hard work, I could sure use some help fixing up the place."

"Sounds fine. I'm not busy." Roni said.

"Me, too." Emma added. "I'm free the rest of this week."

"Oh, thank you, you two! I could just see it now! People will come from all the realms for a taste of my cookin'! Daddy would be so proud..." Tiana laughed and hugged the two women. "Why don't y'all come over tomorrow at ten? We'll get started on the renovation then."

"Sounds like a plan." Emma confirmed. The two women said goodbye to Tiana and continued to the car.

"I like her." Roni commented.

"Yeah. She's cool. She came over with the last portal and I swear, Granny's was never the same. Her cooking is amazing! I'm glad she finally made enough to buy her restaurant. She's been working for it since she was a kid."

"Hold on, did you say _last_ portal? How many were there?" Roni questioned.

"Well..." Emma started, but was cut off by Roni.

"Wait. I have a feeling this conversation is going to require some alcohol." Roni said.

"You just might be right." Emma agreed.

* * *

"So there were four portals. I guess people from different realms have been hearing of Storybrooke. It's becoming _the_ place for second chances." Emma started. It was late at night and she and Roni were sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table up in Emma's living room. Lenny was sleepily watching the two from his spot on the back of the couch.

"Anyone I might know come through?" Roni asked.

"Well, you know about Hook. Um... Maleficent came with some friends. She was looking for her daughter, who - get this- was my friend when I was younger! I have no idea why the children of famous villains are attracted to me." Emma took a sip of the cider Roni had poured for them.

"Then there was... let's see, who else? Oh! There was Robin Hood. He has such a cute kid, I know you'd like him. Comes by the station every once in a while."

"Anyone come looking for me?" Roni asked.

"There were a few. But after a couple months of waiting for you to show up, they kinda mellowed out. Got into Storybrooke life." Emma answered. "Oh, yeah. And you have a sister." Roni choked on her drink.

"I have a what?!" Roni exclaimed.

"Yeah. I guess your mom had another daughter before she met your dad. She was given up and grew up in Oz." Emma said.

"Don't tell me she's-"

"Yep. Your half sister is the Wicked Witch of the West." Roni said nothing. She poured herself another glass and downed the whole thing.

"What even is my life?" Roni groaned.

"I've been asking myself the same question." Emma replied, taking a drink herself.

"Is she still in town?" Roni asked.

"Yeah. She lives in the farmhouse out near the woods. You can't miss it. It's the only house in Storybrooke with a lime green mailbox." Emma answered.

The talk of portals and families ceased. In its place, came silly games like Truth or Dare. Emma used an app on her phone to choose the dares and whatnot.

"Truth or Dare?" Emma asked.

"Truth." Roni chose.

"Tell your first impression of the person to your right. Since it's just the two of us, tell me your first impression of me." Emma said.

"I was confused, hurt... kinda turned on..." Roni recalled.

"Hold on, what?!" Emma was shocked.

"Yeah. Back when we were fighting over Henry, there were times where I didn't know whether I wanted to punch you, or fuck you against the nearest wall."

"So you went with the punches?" Emma asked.

"Punches were safer." Roni finished her drink. "I was certain if I didn't have the whole Evil Queen thing going on, we would have been dating already."

"So... you like me?" Emma asked. Roni sighed.

"I don't know. Right now, I'm drunk, homeless, and soon a lot of my past is probably going to resurface. I want to focus on myself for now." Emma nodded. She was drunk, too, and didn't want to think too much.

"Wanna crash in my room? I don't want to get your blankets out right now." Emma said.

"Sure." The two women forget what happened after that, but both woke up on Emma's bed, spread out in weird angles.


	7. Chapter 7: Just Your Problem

"Wow. You weren't kidding when you said this place needed some work." Emma and Roni had arrived at the docks at the designated time Tiana had set. They met up with Tiana, her fiancé, Naveen, along with their friends Ray and Louis. Tiana had set up a table and laid out a blueprint of the building.

"Yes, but when we're done, this place is gonna sparkle like stars in the night sky. See, I was thinking the kitchen should go here, and the stage should go here, and maybe add a balcony up here..." The more Tiana described what she wanted, the more her companions could see it. As long as they were committed to getting the work done, Tiana's dream could become a reality.

Once they each had their jobs, they got to work. The cobwebs were slowly disappearing from every surface, as was the copious amounts of dust. Not ten minutes in, they were all sneezing like crazy. The water-damaged floorboards were then ripped up to be replaced with new ones. It was around their lunch break that Naveen started playing on his ukulele. Louis joined him with his trumpet and they entertained the group with their jazzy music.

"When the restaurant opens, me and Louis here will perform for all who dine here." Naveen informed, continuing to play his ukulele and dance around.

"There won't be any performing if we don't get this done." Tiana reminded.

"But Tia, what's a few more minutes?" Naveen flashed her a charming smile.

"Well, with you, a few minutes turns into a few hours. Let's get to work." Tiana took his instrument and replaced it with a hammer. Naveen pouted, but that was erased by a peck on the cheek from his fianceé. They just barely got stared when Emma got a call.

"Hello?... What? Why?... Mom, I'm kinda busy here... But... Ugh, fine. Bye." Emma hung up and then proceeded to thump her forehead against the brick wall.

"Let me guess: your mother?" Roni said.

"Yes." Emma grumbled. "She's called an emergency town meeting. She wants us to be there."

"I hope everythin' is okay." Tiana said, having overheard Emma.

"It's probably because of me. Now that the 'Evil Queen' is back, everyone's probably worried I'll continue my reign of terror." Roni rolled her eyes.

"Hey, I'll be right there with you." Emma promised.

"Me, too." Tiana added. "We're all here for you, Roni."

"Thank you." Roni said with a watery smile.

"Let's get cleaned up and to Town Hall before Mom sends a search party." Emma said.

* * *

Roni was in a foul mood when she finally returned home. Emma found her in her living room, holding Lenny close and scowling. The emergency meeting hadn't gone over well. Despite a good handful of people on Roni's side supporting her and trying to convince the townspeople that she wasn't a problem, people were still fearful. In the end, it was decided that Roni wear a magic-suppressing cuff for as long as she stays in Storybrooke.

The black cuff on Roni's wrist stood out like a beacon. Just looking at it made Roni's skin itch. It felt like another shackle, another thing trying to pull her back under to that dark, dark place inside of her. She didn't want this. The cuff was another reminder of why she left in the first place.

Roni closed her eyes and tried to remember her old neighborhood. It was late afternoon, so Mrs. Smith would be sitting out on her balcony, the Martinez twins would be out playing on the sidewalk across the street with their chalk or dolls, Boris will be making his rounds before ending the day at her bar... God, she missed her bar. She missed talking to Boris and Charlie and all the other regulars. She missed the old couple who would come in every Friday and the retired navy captain that would tell her stories of his adventures in WWII.

"Roni?" Roni opened her eyes and realized she'd been sobbing. Emma gently sat down on the couch beside her. Roni scooted closer to her and laid her head on Emma's shoulder.

"It's going to be okay, Roni. Just give it some time. I'll figure out a way to get the cuff off. It'll be colder soon, so with everyone wearing sweaters and jackets, no one will notice if you're wearing it or not." Emma said.

"Thank you, Emma." Roni whispered. "But why are you so willing to go against your mother?"

"I brought you back to this hellhole, the least I can do is help make you as comfortable as possible." Emma answered.

"It almost sounds like you're not enjoying it here." Roni commented. "Not that I blame you."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly happy I found my family, but... sometimes it feels too... too... _suffocating_. After you left, everyone suddenly saw me as their princess, their savior. My parents tried taking over as King and Queen and everyone was fine with that. It took a lot of reminding that this isn't the Enchanted Forest and the US didn't have monarchs. Even after, everyone expected me to be their princess, but we both know that isn't me.

"You once said I needed roots to be here, that I was too flighty. Maybe you were right. Now, I feel like I have too many roots. That if I try to leave, I'll just end up hurting everyone."

"Do you want to leave?" Roni asked.

"Sometimes. After Neal was born, I planned on getting my own place, maybe move to New York, but... I don't know. Mom made me feel guilty for wanting to leave. She was like 'but Emma, we haven't gotten that much time together. Why would you want to move to another state when your family is here?'" Emma imitated Snow's voice, albeit a lot higher-pitched than it really was.

"You are an adult, Emma. Your mother shouldn't control your life. Trust me, I know what that's like." Roni said.

"Yeah, but... Henry's life is here. It wouldn't be fair to uproot his life just because I can't stay in one place for too long." Emma replied.

"Maybe not, but how about one more trip to Seattle?" Roni asked. Emma looked to Roni with a questioning gaze.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked.

"My car is still there. I would like to sell it and maybe show you and Henry my neighborhood. That is, if your mother doesn't try to keep me under house arrest."

"Don't worry about that. If she does, we'll make a bed dummy and sneak out the window." Emma shrugged. "Henry and I have been playing this game where you escape from different prisons. I think we got the gist of it." That made Roni laugh. Emma would be willing to break her out of her prison, despite what Snow said. Friendship felt good.

* * *

Snow White walked downstairs the next morning. She walked past the living room before backpedaling. Sitting on a shelf of the bookshelf was Regina's cat. What was his name? Larry?

"Hello, what are you doing up there? Are you stuck?" Snow took a few steps forward but stopped when the cat looked Snow dead in the eye as he placed a paw on a porcelain bird decoration.

"No, don't you dare!" Snow warned, but the cat slowly pushed the figurine forward until it tipped right over the edge. Upon hearing it shatter on the hardwood floor, Lenny leaped gracefully from the shelf and sprinted through the door and up the stairs.

"Reginaaaaaaaaa!" Snow yelled up the stairs. Two floors up, Roni buried her face in her pillow. She was just riding Rocinante through a sunny field when Snow's voice cut through her dream and brought her back to reality.

Snow stomped up to Emma's living room and confronted Roni.

"Regina!"

"Sorry, Regina can't come to the phone right now 'cause she's dead." Roni mumbled from beneath her pillow.

"Regina, Roni, whatever the hell your name is... your cat just broke one of my bird figurines!" Snow cried.

"Not my fault he has better taste than you." Regina grumbled.

"Roni!" Snow chided. Roni growled and sat up.

"Look, he's a cat. He's going to be an asshole. What do you want me to do? Magically fix it? I can't. _You_ made sure of that. So, either figure out how to glue your stupid bird back together or throw it away and get over it. You can't keep blaming me for every bad thing that happens." Roni got up and disappeared into Emma's bathroom.

 **A.N.: Do you think Emma would like The Escapists?**

 **Sorry I didn't finish this chapter as quickly as the previous ones. I fell head-first into another fandom that is so small, Fanfiction doesn't even have a category for it. Join me in this trash bin that is The Arcana! It's a romance/mystery visual novel app by Nix Hydra. I am all about that Julian route, but tbh, I have a low key crush on all the characters. Except the creepy goat man.**


	8. Chapter 8: Ho-Ho-Holy Shit

**Christmas update! I'm sorry this hasn't gotten an update in a while. Writer's block and medical stuff got in the way, but I found a bunch of Christmas starters and decided to stuff as much of them into this chapter as I can.**

* * *

Later that morning, Emma and Roni walked downstairs to find the foyer decorated ceiling to floor in Christmas decorations.

"Ho-ho-holy shit! It's almost Christmas." Emma commented. "I actually forgot it was almost Christmas."

"Lenny's going to eat half of these decorations before Christmas is even here." Roni added. They spotted Snow hauling a box of decorations into the living room. Upon noticing them, Snow put them to work on cookie duty. There were a lot of cookies to be made and not a lot of time to bake them. They were given recipe cards and aprons and shoved towards the kitchen.

The two of them got to work- Roni on the gingerbread and Emma on the sugar cookies. They worked into the afternoon when Henry and Neal came home. The boys smelled the sweet scent of cookies baking and bee-lined it straight for the kitchen. It was just like when he was a kid. Every Christmas, Henry and his mom would make gingerbread cookies and decorate them with silly faces.

"You boys can either pick up an apron and help or stay out of the kitchen." Roni said. She got a glance at her cuff and remembered herself. This wasn't her house, she was only a guest. "Um... sorry, I... I forgot I'm not-" Henry surprised her by getting an apron and waiting for her to instruct him.

"Could you get started on the icing?" Roni asked.

"Red, green, and white?" Henry asked. Roni nodded and Henry got to work. Meanwhile, Neal had dragged his stepping stool over to the island where all the cookies were cooling. His pudgy hand reached for a cookie, but Emma smacked it away.

"DON'T TOUCH THE COOKIES THEY'RE NOT READY YET!"

"Cookie!" Neal demanded.

"No. Go away!"

"COOKIE!"

"Stop fighting, both of you." Roni said in her strict mom voice. She picked up Neal and calmed him down.

"Neal, dear, I have a very important job for you. Think you can do it?" Neal smiled and nodded his head. "Okay. I need you to go help your mommy with the decorations. Can you do that?" Neal wiggled from her arms. Roni put him down and he took off like a jet.

"I should have given him a cookie first." Roni grinned, imagining Snow trying to deal with a hyper two-year-old and putting up the decorations at the same time. Emma snorted in amusement.

The cookies cooled and now it was time to decorate. Henry filled three bags with the different colored frosting and stuck on the frosting tips. Henry, Roni, and Emma each took a bag and decorated the gingerbread cookies. Emma happened to glance at Roni's cookies and noticed a theme.

"I see that you purposely gave the gingerbread men horrified expressions. I suppose it's so we feel bad as we eat them?" Emma asked.

"Yep." Roni answered, focusing on her cookie victims. Henry's cookies were quite similar. Any cookies who lost a limb to his "taste tests" got turned into zombies. Emma joined in, creating ridiculous faces for her cookies. They were so focused on their creations that they didn't notice Snow enter the kitchen.

"What is this?!" Snow cried, looking at the dozens of cookies looking scared, scary, or dead. "How are we supposed to give these to people when they look like this? Christmas cookies need to be festive, not terrifying!" David came into the kitchen to see what was going on, Neal in his arms.

"What's the problem?" He asked. He noticed the cookies and laughed. He picked up a zombie cookie and made it "talk" to Neal.

"Raaaawr! Eat me before I eat you! Om nom nom!" Neal squealed in delight before snatching the cookie for himself. It was then David noticed Snow glaring at him. "What?"

"David, we're supposed to give these to our friends. What will they think when their cookies look like this?" Snow motioned to a cookie that looked like The Scream.

"They'll think we have a great sense of humor?" Henry answered. Snow sighed. She couldn't be mad at him, but Regina... She was probably the one who started it.

"I suppose there's still the sugar cookies..." Snow huffed.

"I think that means we get to keep the cookies." Henry said.

* * *

After the cookies were packed up, it was time to decorate the tree. Roni felt like she should stay away, choosing instead to put on a Christmas movie to keep Neal occupied and from getting into the fragile ornaments. The little boy laughed at Buddy's antics on the TV. Roni was able to keep him occupied for all of ten minutes before Neal wanted in on the action.

"Mommy, me!" Neal tugged on Snow's pants.

"Sweetie, these are too fragile for you to touch. Why don't you keep watching your movie?" Snow suggested, but Neal was adamant that he help.

"Neal, do you want to help me?" Roni asked. Neal nodded. Roni scooped him up and picked out an ornament. "What color is this?" Roni asked.

"Mmm... blue!" Neal guessed.

"No, this is red. Where do you think this one should go?" Neal pointed to a spot on the tree and Roni put the ornament there. This continued until the entire tree was decorated. Emma smiled at how easily Roni fell into a mother role. She tried to stay distant, but Neal already had her wrapped around his little pudgy finger, as did Henry. Not that Henry had pudgy fingers, but... Anyway, it felt nice to have her around.

"Henry, will you put on the star?" Snow asked. Henry took the star and pulled a chair close to the tree. Roni hovered close by in case he fell. But all was well as he placed the star on top and climbed back down. Emma plugged the lights in and the tree lit up. Neal gasped dramatically. He stared in wonder at the tree.

"Do you like the tree, Neal? Isn't it pretty?" Snow asked Neal, taking him from Roni. Neal nodded and babbled to his mother.

* * *

Roni joined Emma on a shopping trip in town to get some last-minute Christmas gifts. Emma checked off everyone on her list she bought presents for: Henry, Mom, Dad, Neal... who else? Emma looked to Roni, who seemed to be lost in thought. Of course! She needed to get her a gift! But what should she get her?

"So... what do you want for Christmas?" Emma asked Roni only shook her head.

"Nothing you can get me." Roni answered.

"What do you mean?" Emma questioned. Roni sighed.

"I want... I want this town to stop draining me. I want to be able to go to the store without people running from me. I want go back to being a regular person." Roni adjusted her jacket, her armor.

"You're right. I can't give you that, but I can try." Roni looked to Emma with a confused look. Emma put her arm around Roni's shoulders, pulling her closer. "People tend to do what others around them are doing. But I'll show them they're wrong." Roni smiled and put her arm around Emma's waist. They walked down Main Street together until they nearly passed Granny's.

"Let's drink our sorrows out with the elves and some eggnog." Roni suggested. Emma shrugged and followed Roni into the diner. The merriment inside withered when Roni entered. All eyes were on them and Roni knew Granny had her hand on her crossbow. The women sat at the bar and placed their orders.

"What does Henry like?" Roni asked Emma.

"What do you mean?"

"I want to get Henry a present, but... I feel like I don't know him anymore." Roni frowned.

"I don't know, he loves books and heroes and comics. Don't let his height fool you, he hasn't really changed much. Except he does have more friends, now."

"Good. But what would he like for Christmas?" Roni asked.

"How about that trip to Seattle?" Emma asked.

"Yes. That's perfect. Thank you, Emma."

After their drinks, the two of them walked home to Mifflin. Emma dumped her bags in her closet to wrap later when she noticed something above her door., above Roni's head. The eggnog pushed away any doubt in her brain and she walked up to Roni.

"You know, it's cool that we're friends and everything. And... oh, hey! Look at that! Where'd this mistletoe come from?" Emma pointed up. Roni glanced up and saw the piece of greenery. She laughed at Emma's total failure at subtlety, but the eggnog had her holding Emma's face and pecking a kiss to her lips.


	9. Chapter 9: Seattle

The weekend after Christmas was the perfect opportunity to help Roni finish up her business in Seattle. Henry had been the most excited, hovering around Roni and asking a million questions. The only time he'd ever been out of Storybrooke was the first few weeks of his life, but obviously he didn't remember that. He wanted to see where his mom had been the last four years.

Snow was hesitant to let Emma and Henry go to Seattle, but Emma reminded her that she was an adult and could make her own decisions. David helped them pack their bags into the truck, then drove them to the airport. Henry sat next to Roni and they talked about school and friends and life. Emma got stuck next to a three year old belting out the same song over and over and over until she fell asleep.

Finally, they arrived in Seattle. Henry's eyes lit up when he spotted the city just before landing. The setting sun lit it in an orange glow. After they landed and retrieved their bags, it was night.

"Let's check in at our hotel and I'll show you a great place to eat." Roni said. They did just that and piled into an Uber to go to a corner of Hyperion Heights. The dogs in the alley made Henry a bit nervous, but once inside, the warm and cheerful atmosphere eased his worries. The owners treated every customer like their own relatives and made everyone feel right at home. And the food! Their pepperoni pizza was to die for and their spaghetti and meatballs was crazy good and known all over town as the best. Even the stray dogs came by for a bite.

"Tomorrow, I want to show you guys around my neighborhood. That is, if you'd like?" Roni questioned.

"Of course, Roni." Emma said.

"Yeah! I want to see everything." Henry added.

"Good. And after I sell my car, I was thinking we could see some sights. You know, like the Space Needle, maybe check out a museum?"

"Sounds like a plan." Emma smiled.

* * *

"Roni!" The next day, they had made their way to the bar where Roni last left her car. The owner greeted her warmly. "How's it going?"

"It's... going." Roni shrugged. "Have you seen my car?"

"Yeah, Shirley moved it to the back." They pulled out the keys from their pocket and tossed them towards Roni. She caught them in her hand and thanked them. The three of them walked around to the back of the bar and saw Roni's car.

"That's your car?" Henry wrinkled his nose. The old car was definitely older than Henry, with chipping paint and a dent over the back left wheel. "And you called Emma's Bug a death trap?"

"Hey, that was before everything... you know... happened." Roni replied. "Besides, it won't be mine for long."

"Who's going to want to buy _this_?" Henry asked. Roni just shrugged.

"I know a guy."

This guy was actually a tough biker chick-looking woman who worked in a car repair shop called Mac's. When she saw Roni, she broke into a grin.

"Roni! I was wondering when you would come see me again. Who's your friend?"

"This is Emma Swan and her son, Henry." Roni introduced them. "Guys, this is Mac."

"Nice to meet you." Henry said.

"Wow. So polite! I definitely wasn't like that at his age." Mac said. "So what can I do for you, Roni?"

"I need to sell my car. How much can you get me for it?" Roni answered.

"Let's take a look at her..." Mac looked over the car and under the hood. "I can probably give you $3500. And that's being generous."

"I'll take it." Roni said.

"I heard about your bar burning down. Are you okay?" Mac asked as she got everything ready. Roni shrugged.

"I'm getting there." She answered truthfully.

"I know we're not a thing anymore, but if you ever need anything, just give me a call, alright?" Mac said, handing over an envelope with her cash.

"Thanks, but I have everything I need." Roni said. They looked back to Emma and Henry, who were looking around the shop.

"They look nice. Take care of them, Roni." Mac said.

"They are, and currently they're the ones taking care of me." Roni replied.

"Whoa! Mom, can I get a motorcycle when I get my license?" Henry asked. Roni had an "absolutely not!" ready at the tip of her tongue, but stopped herself. She rode with Mac quite a few times and came out unscathed. Plus, it was Emma's choice.

"I... I don't..." Emma was hesitant. She didn't want to say no, but she felt like it was a bad mom thing to say yes. She's ridden on a motorcycle before and saw nothing wrong with them, but was it something she was okay with Henry doing?

"I can take him for a ride, if that's okay with you. Just once around the block." Mac offered.

"Yeah! Can I, Ma?" Henry gave Emma his best puppy eyes.

"Just wear a helmet?"

Henry nodded and accepted the extra helmet from Mac. She showed him the parts of the motorcycle before revving it up and zooming out into the street, Henry cheering in excitement. Emma and Roni watched them until they turned the corner.

"So... you two were dating?"

"Oh. You heard that? Yes, we were a thing. Briefly. But... I don't know... we just didn't work out." Roni said.

"Are we going to talk about that kiss?" Emma asked.

"We were under the mistletoe. Kissing is traditionally what you do under it." Roni explained.

"Is that it? You were just following tradition?" Emma questioned. Roni frowned.

"Yes... no... it's complicated. You're my only friend, Emma. If something happens between us and it doesn't work out... I can't lose you. You're the only one who believes in me." Emma reached for Roni's hands and held them in hers.

"Listen: if we do decide to further our relationship, I swear to you, my opinion of you will not change. I will always be on your side, Roni. I will always stick up for you, no matter what." Emma promised. Roni gave a smile, once again hopefull for the future. The rumbling of Mac's motorcycle got closer and the two women stepped apart and waited for their son. Mac parked the bike in the garage and took off her helmet. Henry hopped off and removed his helmet as well, a thousand-watt grin on his face.

"That was SO COOL! You HAVE to let me get one!" Henry begged.

"When you turn 18, you can do what you want." Emma answered. Henry took that as a yes.

* * *

Hyperion Heights brought Roni to life, Henry noticed. She wasn't the quiet, sad woman she was in Storybrooke. She smiled a lot more, especially when people she knew stopped to talk to her. She showed them her neighborhood and her old neighbors came out to greet her. She really made a difference in their lives. This had Henry wishing it could be like that back home. His mom needed friends to talk to and go out with. So far, since she came back, she only left the house if Emma was with her. No one in town trusted her... but they just might trust him...

Ideas swam around Henry's head. If he could just get people to see that she's changed, maybe they could all be happy together. Once they got home, he would start planning Operation Phoenix. He watched as Roni and Emma interacted with one of Roni's old neighbors. To anyone who didn't know them, they looked like a couple and their kid. The way Roni would constantly reach out to touch Emma's arm, the way she'd look over and smile, only made it more convincing.

The image of his moms together, of them happy and TOGETHER was something Henry suddenly wanted more than anything. Ever since his dad died, Henry knew there was something missing in their lives. Emma was struggling with being a mom and a daughter and a sister. Yes, they had family, but sometimes she needed a break from all that. When she was with Roni, though, Emma seemed at ease.

Maybe their happy ending was closer than they thought?


	10. Chapter 10: Roni's Birthday

**A.N.: I can't believe I missed the day of Regina's birth, the night of her birthday! Happy belated birthday, my Queen! I wish you nothing but luck and happiness.**

Roni woke up in the morning feeling out of sorts. She checked her phone and saw it was * _that day_ *. Oh. That explains it. The last few years, she'd curl up with Lenny and a bottle of whiskey and try to forget the date. Would this year be any different?

Meanwhile, Emma was sitting in the dining room, waiting for Roni to come downstairs for breakfast.

"What's taking Roni so long? I'm going to check on her." Emma stood up, but Henry stopped her.

"She's going to be a while." Henry said. "It's February 1st."

"What does today's date have to do with it?" Emma asked.

"It's her birthday. She always got a little sad around her birthday." Henry explained.

"Oh." Emma understood better than anyone. Her own birthday had been depressing in the past, up until the last four years. "Well, that's going to change. How about we do something nice for her?"

"Like what?" Henry asked.

"What!" Neal parroted.

"Let's take her out for dinner tonight. There's this restaurant just out of town I think she might like." Emma said.

"I think it's a good idea." Henry said.

"What's a good idea?" Roni entered the kitchen, still in her pajamas and looking like she hadn't slept.

"Hey, you okay?" Emma asked.

"I'm fine. Today's just... not my day, I guess." Roni answered.

"You sure? It's only 7 in the morning. Things can always change." Emma said.

"You've been spending too much time with your mother." Roni quipped. Emma huffed out a laugh before offering the woman the rest of the pancakes.

"Noni," Neal spoke. "Can play wit Inny?"

"Let's finish our breakfast, first. Then we can play with Lenny." Roni's voice softened as it always did with Neal. Neal shoveled his scrambled eggs into his mouth, though most of it landed in his lap. Roni smiled at his antics. At least this day won't be so terrible...

After breakfast, Roni took Neal up to play with Lenny. Emma took Henry to school, then swung by Game of Thorns to pick up some flowers for Roni. But what kind of flowers would she like? There were roses and orchids and carnations and way too many choices to pick. In the end, Emma chose a dozen coral-colored roses. They were a nice color without being overly pink.

Emma returned to the mansion and began looking for a vase. They had so many decorations, surely she could find a spare vase, right? Emma finally found one on a bookshelf and filled it with water. She put the roses in it and set them on the dining table.

Emma heard Neal running with Roni right behind him.

"Neal, slow down!" Roni laughed. She ran into the dining room and noticed the flowers.

"Pwetty!" Neal exclaimed.

"Yes, the flowers are pretty, aren't they?" Roni said, picking up the boy when she finally caught up to him.

"They're for you." Emma said. "Henry told me it was your birthday today, so I got you some flowers." Roni looked up at Emma, clearly surprised. A smile spread on her face.

"Thank you, Emma."

"And would it be okay if we take you out for dinner tonight?" Emma asked.

"Emma, you don't have to." Roni looked away.

"But I want to. Because that's what friends do."

...

That evening, Emma drove everyone down to the restaurant. It was a nice Italian restaurant and, though their lasagna didn't hold a candle to Roni's, it was an enjoyable evening. Neal didn't complain about his mac & cheese, Roni was happy, and there was no cat trying to snatch Emma's dinner.

Roni sipped at her glass of wine and got lost in her thoughts. This was, without doubt, the best birthday she has ever had. In her childhood, her birthdays had been lavish and overly formal and was usually all about her mother showing off than it was about celebrating Regina's birth. When she was married to Leopold, he never bothered to celebrate her birthday. There was the occasional dinner, but otherwise, she was ignored. After his death, Regina was hated and didn't truly celebrate the way she always wanted.

As Madame Mayor, her birthdays were lonely. There was no family to celebrate with. Until Henry, at least, but even then, she felt nothing but the crushing loneliness. When she became Roni, she ceased to care much about the day of her birth. She didn't even try to enjoy it.

Emma changed all that. Roni was really actually happy on her birthday for once. Especially now, sharing a slice of chocolate cake with her two favorite boys.

Snow giggled over the chocolate goatee Neal sported. Emma took out her phone and snapped a pic. Emma's and Roni's eyes met and a genuine smile passed between them.

Back at home, the two women were getting ready for bed.

"Emma, I wanted to say thank you. For the flowers and dinner. You really didn't need to, but I'm glad you did."

"You're welcome. You deserve to enjoy your birthday, Roni."

"I did." Roni smiled. Their eyes met and something made them step forward. They used to do this a lot, looking each other down in their personal space. This force always pulled them to each other and now that there was no animosity between them, the force was stronger than ever.

"Emma..." Roni could feel Emma's breath on her lips. They could no longer fight their magnetism. Their lips met and they fell into their own world. It was like everything fell into place. Everything made sense. This... this is exactly where they were supposed to be.

They moved to Emma's couch, sitting as close as possible, practically in each other's lap, making out like a couple of teenagers. Not that either woman cared. This was a long time coming. Yes, they've kissed before, but in this moment, it felt like their first.

"Emma, I..." Roni was happy, ridiculously happy. The emotions crashed over her. Roni buried her face in Emma's shoulder and sobbed. Emma simply held onto her and let Roni vent her emotions. It was overwhelming, Emma knew, to be so unhappy for so long and then suddenly find what she's wanted for so long. It felt unreal, like it might disappear if you looked away, if you let go for a single second.

After Regina disappeared four years ago, Emma felt the same, however, she worried about her son's adoptive mother. How easily people accepted it, how easily they tried to erase any trace of the woman. How they could ever want to erase the woman in her arms, Emma had no idea. She was funny, loving, and so smart. All she needed was someone to love and Emma felt honored that Roni would choose her.

Roni sniffled and wiped her face. She gave a watery laugh and apologized.

"I didn't mean to get so emotional. It's just... I'm not used to this." Roni explained.

"I know. But hopefully you will." Emma said. "You deserve happiness. You deserve love. And I'm glad you found it in me." Roni smiled and curled up against Emma.

"You know..." Roni spoke. "Valentine's Day is coming up... and I would like to take you somewhere."

"Like a date?" Emma asked.

"Exactly like a date." Roni said.

"I'd like nothing more than to go on a date with you." Emma said.

"Good." They resumed kissing. What a birthday...


	11. Chapter 11: Moments

**I am sooooooo sorry I didn't write this in time for Valentine's Day! I was preoccupied with The Arcana and all the drama that happened in that fandom and then a butt load of writer's block. And then more Arcana stuff. I got very sidetracked for a looooooong time!**

Tiana's Place was beautiful. The intricate ironwork, the flower lights, the jazz music playing from the stage... it was like a piece of New Orleans dropped right there in Storybrooke. Opening day was strategically on the day of Mardi Gras and the place was packed. Roni tended the bar, automatically pouring drinks as she thought about her conundrum. Tomorrow was Valentine's Day. She had to work that evening, as the entire week was booked with reservations. It seemed the entire town wanted a taste of Tiana's hometown cooking.

"How are you doing, Roni?" Tiana asked.

"Good. Not going to lie, it's a lot better looking than my old bar." Roni answered. It was true. The bar itself was made of polished wood and blue glass with lily pads pressed under the glass, making it seem like a little river. The lighting above them was made of different brightly-colored bottles filled with fairy lights and hanging from the ceiling. Shelves made of yellow, purple, and green glass covered the wall behind her, filled with all sorts of bottles of alcohol. Even Roni's uniform was tasteful - a white button-up with the sleeves rolled up, a green vest with gold buttons, and black slacks.

"Thank you, Roni. Without your help, it wouldn't have been half as beautiful if I was on my own. I owe it to you and Emma for helping from the beginning." Tiana said.

"It was nothing." Roni replied. She looked out towards the patrons dining. Over at a table near the stage, she spotted the Charmings. Henry smiled and waved at her. She smiled and waved back. Henry got up from his seat and ran over to her.

"Hi, Mom. You should try the gumbo. It's so good!" Henry sat at an empty stool at the end of the bar. "I wish you didn't have to work. You should be eating with us."

"I wish I could sit with you, too, but someone has to tend the bar and I signed up for this job." Roni answered.

"Still. I like when we have dinner together." Henry said.

"Just be glad my hours are better here than they were back in Seattle. I wouldn't get off work until 2 in the morning."

"Really? Why?" Henry asked.

"People like to drink late into the night." Roni explained. "Go on and sit with your family."

"They're your family, too." Henry said sadly before hopping off the stool. Tonight felt her heart swell a little, knowing Henry wanted her there with them.

* * *

Roni came home Valentine's Day exhausted and a little disappointed. She wanted to have been able to be with Emma. Their blossoming relationship was something she wanted to explore, yet her life just kept getting in the way. Roni was walking up the stairs when she noticed rose petals sprinkled on the steps. Hoping it wasn't some leftover Charming Valentine's Day thing, Roni walked to the attic apartment. The petals continued up to the apartment where Roni found Emma waiting for her. There was a bouquet of roses on the counter of the kitchenette and some food warming in the oven.

"Emma?" Emma smiled at her.

"I know you had to work, but that doesn't mean we can't have a romantic dinner together." Emma took the plates from the oven and set them on the coffee table. Roni changed out of her work uniform, then sat beside Emma as they talked about their day and ate the leftover dinner. Emma showed her the Valentine's Day cards Neal made them and the cards from Henry. After dessert, Emma put Roni's feet up into her lap and massaged them. Roni melted under Emma's fingers, letting the stress of the day leave her.

Emma's fingers moved from her feet up to her calves. The noises coming from Roni's mouth sent shivers down Emma's spine. When Emma finished with one leg, she pecked a kiss to Roni's knee before starting on the other. When the second leg was done, that knee got a kiss as well.

"Want me to do your back?" Emma asked.

"Yes, please." Roni answered.

"Then let's move to the bedroom. If you fall asleep, you deserve to sleep in a bed, rather than the couch." Emma said.

"That confident in your massaging abilities?" Roni teased, but made her way to Emma's room anyway. She laid down on her stomach, waiting for the rest of her massage. Emma sat on her knees, one on either side of Roni's hips and kneaded the tense muscles in Roni's back. Roni moaned, a sound that hit Emma straight in her lady parts. Emma grimaced at the fact that she just called them lady parts. She was spending too much time with her mother...

 _No! Do NOT think of your mother while massaging Roni!_ Emma shook the thoughts from her head and continued the massage.

"Where did you learn how to do this?" Roni asked in a tired voice.

"Well, when you're stuck in jail for eleven months, you learn a few trades. Plus, it helped ease some pain when I was pregnant with Henry." Emma replied. "Getting sleepy, yet?"

"No." _Yes._ Emma smiled and finished off her massage. She pulled back the covers and let Roni get comfortable. By the time Emma turned off the light and got comfortable under the blankets, Roni was already fast asleep. Emma smiled. _I knew it._

* * *

"How does that thing work?" Roni sat with Neal as they watched Henry play with his new video game console. Pokemon sure has evolved since Henry was 10.

"It's easy, even Neal can do it. Want to show her how it's done, buddy?" Henry handed the control to Neal. With a little reminder from Henry, Neal successfully caught his first pokemon.

"Now what do you want to name it?" Henry asked. Neal thought for a moment.

"Shoe!" And so, the Caterpie named Shoe was added to the party. The character ran around the world a while before Roni pointed out one of the creatures hiding in the grass.

"What's that one?" she asked.

"Oh! It's a shiny!"

"Is that good?" Roni asked

"Yeah! Shiny Pokemon are rare." Henry handed her the controller. "Try catching it."

"I don't want to ruin your chances of catching it. You do it." Roni said.

"It's fine. Just try." Henry talked her through catching the creature. It took three berries and just as many pokeball throws, but Roni successfully caught it.

"You caught it, what do you want to name it?" Henry asked.

"Sock." Henry laughed.

"Why are you guys naming them after clothing?" he asked.

"Shoe needs a friend!" Roni answered. Henry shook his head and added the shiny bulbasaur named Sock to the party.


End file.
